Half to willis o



(No-Model.)

W. R. LAMPTON. GATE LATCH.

No. 310,528. Patented Jan.` 6, m85. HWTVW "U 'Zf v 4 fw- .ll/Figi I Y1V I M l "Il Y ATTORNEYS.

NITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. LAMPTON, OF TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- I HALF TO VILLIS O. VINN, OF SAME PLACE.

GATE-LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 310,528, dated January 6, 1885. Application filed July l0, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. IiAMrroN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Terre Haute, in the county of Vigo and State of Indiana, have inventedl certain new and useful Improvements in Gate-Latches; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and eXact description, of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference bei ng had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which-- Figure l is a side view of my improved gate-latch, showing the same in position for operation. Fig. 2 is avertical sectional view taken on the line .fr x in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on theline y y in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a detailed view showing the operatinglevers detached.`

The same letters refer to the same parts in all the figures.

My invention has relation to that class of gate-latches in which a pair of levers having catches at their ends engage a lug or lugs with their outer ends, said levers being pivoted together' in the manner of a pair of shears or tongs,- and it consists in the improved eonstruction and combination of parts of the same, as hereinafter more Vfully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A indicates a yoke or bail consisting of acentral plate, I), end pieces, A A', and lugs or ears B IE, having perf'orations Cy to receive screws or similar fastenings, by means of which the bail may be attached to the end post of the gate. The inner sides of the end pieces, A A', a-re beveled on both sides, forming a sharp edge, and the central plate, D, of the bail has a centrally-located inwardly-extending pintle, E, upon which the levers F and" G are pivoted, the said levers bearing with their outer edges against the sharp edges of the end pieces, which thus support them, removing a portion of the strain upon the levers from the pintle. The lever F is provided with an inwardly-extending pivoting plate, H, ttingbetween corresponding plates I I, formed upon the lever G, and the said plates are perforated, as shown at J, so as to fix upon the pintle E, extending from the center plate of the yoke, as described. A washer, K, may

be interposed between the inner plate, I, and

the gate-post. The rear ends of the levers are provided with lugs or studs L L, to receive the ends of a coiled spring, M, which serves to force the forward ends of the levers toward each other. The said forward ends are provided with inwardly-extending beveled catches N N, adapted to engage the latch O. The latter consists of a beveled head, l), formed upon the end of a shank, Q, which extends forwardly from the plate R1, which latter is secured upon the end post of the fence, with which the swinging end of the gate colnes in Contact. The rear ends of the operating-levers are provided with outwardly-extending handles S S, by means of' which they may be conveniently manipulated without danger of injuring the ngers in the act of so doing. p

The operation of this invention is extremely simple, and will require no extended explanation. The construction is simple, the principle parts being formed of castings. It fol` lows that the device may be manufactured at a triiiing expense. It is easily applied to any ordinary gate. It will be seen that the end pieces of the bail being beveled upon their inner sides, and only bearing against the edges of the levers with their sharp edges, they will in no manner interfere with the free working of the levers, while they support the said levers and relieve thepivotal pintlc from undue f strain.

I am aware that O'ate-latches have been made in which a pair of levers pivoted liogether similar to a pair of shears or tongs have engaged with theirshouldered or notched ends a shouldered or notched lug or lugs', and .l` make no broad claim for such a latch; but

I elaim- The combination, with a bail formed with a central plate having an inwardly-proiecting pintle, and with end pieces beveled. upon their inner sides to form sharp edges, of a pair of levers pivoted upon the said pintle, and bearing with their outer edges against the sharp edges of the end pieces of the bail, as and for the purpose shown and set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' TILLIAM R. L A -ltl PTON. \Vi tnesses:

Hanvnv J. I-IUsToN, Hanny DoNn'AM. 

